(Reuters) - Two seasons on the fringes of the Manchester United set-up have left Japanese poster boy Shinji Kagawa a pale imitation of his former self, battling nerves and psychological demons if his World Cup is not to be cut short.
The 25-year-old had a World Cup debut to forget against Ivory Coast, struggling to make an impact against impressive African full back Serge Aurier, who took advantage of Kagawa's defensive frailties to bomb forward and set up both goals in a 2-1 comeback win on Saturday.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!